Hand tool for flaring tube ends



July 28, 1959 c. E. KLAMM ErAL 2,896,691

HAND Toor. Foa FLARING TUBE ENDS l Filed Dec. 18. 1953 Elc.. E 1?..1..42]

INVENTORS Q27; g BY 50u26 @Lzaj' United States HAND TOOL FOR FLARINGTUBE IENDS Carl E. Klamm, Cleveland, and Louis D. Bizak, Wieklile, Ohio,assignors to Parker-Hannitn Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application December 18, 1953, Serial No. 399,081 Claims. (Cl.153-79) tion has reference more particularly to aring tube ends andassembling them in the sleeves which form a part of the tube securingmeans in fittings well known in the art as triple fittings and which areexemplified in US. Letters Patents 1,893,442 and 2,212,183 issued toArthur L. Parker on January 3, 1933, and August 20, i940, respectively.In ttings of this character there are included threadably connectedcoupling members which cooperate in providing a chamber in which toreceive the flared end of a tube to be secured, one said member having aconiform extension for engaging in the tube ilare within the chamber,and the other said memberhaving a shoulder engageable `with a shoulderon a clamping sleeve constituting the third member of the iitting andsurrounding the tube within the chamber and having a ared surfaceengageable with the tube flare for clamping the same against theconiform extension as the sleeve is moved longitudinally by reason ofthe engagement ofthe shoulders during threading together of the members.lt is a pulpose of the invention to provide a novel hand tool formed toquickly and conveniently receive a tube with its companion sleeveslipped over the end thereof, and including a reciprocable plungerhaving a coniform end cngageable with the tube end for starting a flaretherein and for completing the flare against a are defining surface atthe end of the sleeve, simultaneously shaping the tube flare andassembling the tube and sleeve.

An object of the invention is to provide a hand tool of the character'stated including a generally cylindrical body having an end bore of adiameter for receiving a are deiining sleeve, and a counterbore of adiameter for receiving the sleeve enlargement in which the are definingsurface is formed and terminating at the end bore in a shoulder adaptedto be abutted by the sleeve shoulder, there being included a aringplunger reciprocable in the counterbore and .having a coniform tubeilaring end, and a T-shaped side slot in the body providing for easymounting of a tube with a sleeve on the end thereof by movement thereofinto the counterbore in a direction perpendicular to the common axis ofsaid tube and sleeve.

Another object of `the invention is to provide a hand tool of thecharacter stated wherein is included means for confining thereciprocable plunger against endwise displacement from the bodycounter-bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand tool of thecharacter stated whereinl there is included means effective, after asleeve has been inserted laterally into the counterbore through the sideslot and moved endwise to engage its shoulder against the bodyshoularent .2,896,691Y Patented July 28, 1959 der, to hold the sleeve inthe shoulder engaging position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand tool of thecharacter stated wherein the means for holding the sleeve in `theshoulder engaging position comprises a snap spring having a portionextending into the counterbore for being engaged `and displaced by thesleeve as it is moved endwise to its shoulder engaging position and forspringing into place in holding relation to the sleeve as the sleeve ismoved therepast.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand tool of thecharacter stated wherein the body counterbore serves as a guide for aportion of the sleeve as it is rnoved in the shoulder engagingdirection, thereby to assure proper entry of the sleeve into the bodyend bore.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a face view of the tool per se, looking into the sleeve andtube receiving slotway.

Figure 2 is a plan View.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 on Figure l.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on lthe line 4 4 onFigure 3, a tube and sleeve being shown as inserted in full lines beforemovement of the sleeve against the abutment shoulder and the sleevebeing illustrated in dotted lines in the abutment engaging position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section illustrating thecommencement of the tube flaring in dotted lines, the completion of theflaring against the sleeve being illustrated in full lines.

In the practical development of the invention, the improvedflaring toolis` formed to include a generally cy-n lindrioal, sleeve-like body 5having a cylindrical bore 6 extending through one end thereof, and amain counterbore 7 forming a chamber in which the Haring plungergenerally designated 8 is reciprocably mounted. It will be noted that anabutment shoulder 9 is provided at the upper terminus` of thecounterbore or chamber 7.

The ilaring plunger includes a cylindrical body l0 terminating upwardlyin a tapered, tube flaring nose 1l. At its other end the plunger isprovided with a reduced diameter striking end extension i12 whichextends through the open end of the body 5, the latter being upset as at13 to limit outward movement of the plunger and prevent removal thereoffrorn the counter-bore in which it is slidably mounted. The body 5 alsoincludes a noncircular portion 14 which will facilitate holding of thebody during using of the tool.

A tube and sleeve receiving slotway is provided in one side of the body5 and extends through. the en d of the body including the bore 6 from apoint about midway the length of the body. The slot is T-shaped with itsloiwer portion 15 extending the full width of the counterbore diameter,the upper portion 16 of the slot being narrow. The lower portion of theslot is wide enough to receive the major diameter of the tube encirclingsleeve, and the upper portion of the slot is just Wide enough to receivethe tube diameter.

A circumferential groove 17 is provided in the body adjacent the lowerend of the T-slot and serves to receive a spring means including ahalf-circular body portion 18 and two upstanding arms T19, eachterminating in an outwardly turned end portion 20. The spring arms 19are directed inwardly through the sides of the slotway in the mannerclearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

A tube to be flared is indicated at 21, said tube being surrounded bythe sleeve 22 with which the tube is to be assembled and which definesthe linal flaring of the tube. The sleeve includes a bore 23 to receivethe tube and has an enlarged head 24 providing an abutment shoulder 25engageable with the abutment shoulder 9 of the tool body 5. The sleevehead Z4 also is provided with a ared surface 26 against which the finalflaring of the tube end is accomplished and which serves to accuratelydenne the are.

v ln the use of the tool a tube with a sleeve slipped over the endthereof is inserted laterally through the slotway in the body 5 so as toplace the sleeve'22 in the bore or chamber '7 between the spring armsi9. By moving the sleeve upwardly, the abutment shoulder 25 of thesleeve can be brought against the abutment shoulder 9 of the body.During this movement of the sleeve, the enlargement 24 displaces thespring arms outwardly, and as the abutment shoulders 25 and 9 come intoengagement, the outwardly turned ends 20 of the spring arms will snapunder the end of the sleeve enlargementand hold the sleeve in theabutment engaging position.

Itis to be understood that the initial flaring of the tube end isaccomplished by driving the coniform end 11 of the plunger 8 in to theend extremity of the tube while the latter is spaced away from the endextremity of the sleeve 22. After the flaring of the tube end has beenthus started, the tube is pulled outwardly through the sleeve 22 topresent the partially liared end extremity opposite the flare deningsurface 26 of the sleeve, and then Vthe aring operation is completed bydriving the coniform end lll of the plunger against the tube end so asto accurately shape the same against the flared sleeve surface. 26. Thisoperation serves not only to accurately flare the end extremity of thetube 2l, but also to assemble the tube in the sleeve 22. After thisflaring of the tube, and the tube and sleeve assembly is completed, itis a simple matter to move the tube and sleeve assembly endwise toregister the sleeve with the wide portion 15 of the T-slot, and then towithdraw the assembly laterally outwardly through said slot.

It will be observed that the enlargement 2dof the sleeve has a snugsliding fit in the counterbore 7, and thus as the sleeve is insertedlaterally into the counterbore and then moved longitudinally, thecontact of the sleeve enlargement 24 in the counterbore 7 willaccurately guide movement of the sleeve body 22 and assure entry thereofinto the reduced diameter bore 6. It should also be apparent that bymaking the narrow portion 16 of the T-slot just wide enough to clear thediameter of the tube 2l, a sleeve abutment shoulder opposing bodyshoulder 9 extending more than half-way about the circumference of thesleeve is provided. Figure 4 illustrates the position in which the tube2l to be ared and its surrounding sleeve Z2 are inserted laterallythrough the T-slot into the counterbore '7, and Figure 5 shows thesleeve as having been slid endwise into the bore 6, or in other wordsinto the abutment shoulder contacting, tube flaring position. it will bequite obvious by a comparison of these figures and Figures l and 2 thatthe counterbore 7 overlaps the narrow portion lr6 of the T-slot whichextends through the adjacent end of the body, and said narrow portionlr6 retains the sleeve 22 in the bore against lateral displacement whensaid sleeve is-within said bore as shown in Figure 5.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes ofillustration, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. A hand tool for daring a tube end and eifecting an assembly thereofin a sleeve including an end enlargement providing an abutment shoulderand having therein a tube flare defining surface, said tool comprising agenerally cylindrical body having an end bore of a diameter forreceiving the sleeve, and a counterbore of a diameter for receiving thesleeve enlargement and terminating at said end bore in a shoulderpresented for abutting engagement with the sleeve shoulder, and aplunger reciprocable in the counterbore and having a coniform tube endengaging and flaring end, said body having a T-shaped side slotpresenting a wide portion for receiving the enlargement of a sleeve, anda narrow portion extending through the body shoulder and just wideenough to permit free passage therethrough of a tube, thereby to providea body shoulder extending more than half way about the circumference ofa sleeve in shoulder abutting contact therewith, and through which slota sleeve with a tube end therein can be inserted laterally into thecounterbore and then be moved longitudinally to place the sleeve in thebore with the sleeve shoulder against the body shoulder and the tube endopposite and in axial alignment with the plunger, s aid body also beingprovided with an annular groove and there also being included springmeans having a body portion mounted in said groove and spaced arms withfree end portions projecting into the counterbore through opposite sidesof the wide portion of the slot in position for being displaced radiallyoutwardly by the sleeve enlargement as the sleeve is inserted laterallyinto the counterbore through the body side slot, and said spring endportions being positioned to snap behind the sleeve end as the sleeveand body shoulders come into engagement to hold the sleeve in theshoulder engaging position.

2. A hand tool for flaring a tube end and effecting an assembly thereofin a sleeve including an end enlargement providing an abutment shoulderand having therein a tube flare defining surface, said tool comprising agenerally cylindrical body having an end bore of a diameter forreceiving the sleeve, and a counterbore of a diameter for receiving thesleeve enlargement and terminating at said end bore in a shoulderpresented for abutting engagement with the sleeve shoulder, and aplunger reciprocable in the counterbore and having a coniform tube endengaging and flaring end, said body having a T-shaped side slotpresenting a wide portion for receiving the enlargement of a sleeve, anda narrow portion extending through the body shoulder and just wideenough to permit free passage therethrough of a tube, thereby to providea body shoulder extending more than half way about the circumference ofa sleeve in yshoulder abutting contact therewith, and through which slota sleeve with a tube end therein can be inserted laterally into thecounterbore and then be moved longitudinally to place the sleeve in thebore with the sleeve shoulder against the body shoulder and the tube endopposite and in axial alignment with the plunger, said body also beingprovided with an annular groove and there also being included springmeans having a body portion mounted in said groove and spaced arms withfree end portions projecting into the counterbore through opposite sidesof the wide portion of the slot in position for being displaced radiallyoutwardly by the sleeve enlargement as the sleeve is inserted laterallyinto the counterbore through the body side slot, and said spring endportions being positioned to snap behind the sleeve end as the sleeveand body shoulders come into engagement to hold the sleeve in theshoulder engaging position, and said plunger having Van abutmentshoulder thereon and said body having an upset portion engageable bysaid plunger shoulder to limit retraction of the plunger in the bodycounterbore.

3. A hand tool for flaring a tube end and effecting an assembly thereofin a sleeve including an end enlargement providing an abutment shoulderand having therein a tube are defining surface, said tool comprising agenerally cylindrical body having an end bore of a diameter for slidablyreceiving the sleeve, and a counterbore of a diameter for slidablyreceiving the sleeve enlargement and terminating at said end bore in ashoulder presented for abutting engagement with the sleeve shoulder, anda plunger slidably mounted in and reciprocable in the counterbore andhaving a coniform tube end engaging and aring end, said body having aT-shaped side slot presenting a wide portion for receiving theenlargement of a sleeve, and a narrow portion extending through the'body shoulder and just wide enough to permit free passage laterallytherethrough of the tube to be flared, thereby to provide a bodyshoulder extending more than half way about the circumference of asleeve in shoulder abutting contact therewith, and through which slot asleeve with the tube end to be flared therein can be inserted laterallyinto the counterbore and then be moved longitudinally to place thesleeve in the bore with the sleeve shoulderagainst the body shoulder andthe tube end opposite and in axial alignment with the plunger, saidnarrow portion of the T-slot also serving to retain said sleeveenlargement against lateral displacement from said counterbore when saidsleeve is within said bore, and there also being included spring meansincluding spaced arm portions disposed to be displaced radiallyoutwardly by a sleeve enlargement as the sleeve is inserted laterallyinto the counterbore through the body side slot and free end portionsdisposed to snap behind the sleeve end as the sleeve and body shoulderscome into engagement to hold the sleeve in the shoulder engaging.position.

4. A hand tool for flaring a tube end and effecting an assembly thereofin a sleeve including an end enlargement providing an abutment shoulderand having therein a tube are defining surface, said tool comprising agenerally cylindrical body having an end bore of a diameter for slidablyreceiving the sleeve, and a counterbore of a diameter for slidablyreceiving the sleeve enlargement and terminating at said end bore in ashoulder presented for abutting engagement with the `sleeve shoulder,and a plunger slidably mounted in and reciprocable in the counterboreand having a coniform tube end engaging plunger, said counterbore andflaring end, said body having a T-shaped side slot presenting a wideportion for receiving the sleeve and the sleeve enlargement, and anarrow portion extending through the body shoulder and the adjacent endof the body and narrower than the diameters of the sleeve and itsenlargement, thereby to provide a body shoulder extending more than halfway about the circumference of a sleeve in shoulder abutting contacttherewith, the longitudinal extent of the head or the wide portion ofthe T- slot being of a size to admit freely the sleeve andthe sleeveenlargement, so that a sleeve with a tube end therein can be insertedlaterally into the counterbore and then be moved longitudinally to placethe sleeve in the bore with the sleeve shoulder against the bodyshoulder and the tube end opposite and in axial alignment with theaxially overlapping said narrow portion of said T-slot whereby saidsleeve enlargement when within said overlapping portion of saidcounterbore will be retained by said narrow portion against lateraldisplacement from said counterbore.

5. A hand tool as delined in claim 4 wherein the generally cylindricalbody constitutes an integral member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,754,637 McGough Apr. 15, 1930 1,835,179 Parker Dec. 8, 1931 2,021,241Mall Nov. 19, 1935 2,262,434 Vanerstrom Nov. 11, 1941 2,286,105 QuinnJune 9, 1942 2,297,885 Graf et al Oct. 6, 1942. 2,465,677 Deverall Mar.29, 1949 2,489,360 Bachli Nov. 29, 1949 2,489,928 Phillips Nov. 29, 1949FOREIGN PATENTS 71,101 Switzerland Aug. 27, 1914

